Pakistan will have no foreign minister even after Senate elections
Filing of appeals with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers for Senate elections begins today (Monday).
According to the ECP, the appeals can be filed until Tuesday. The commission said nomination papers of 144 of the total 182 candidates have been accepted.
The appeals will be disposed of on Thursday and Friday, while Saturday is the last day for withdrawal of nominations.
Final list of the candidates will be published the same day. The voting will take place on the 5th of next month.
MISSING OUT ON FM:
Interestingly, it has been learnt that Pakistan will have no foreign minister even after Senate polls after the PML-N government has failed to award tickets to potential candidates including Sartaj Aziz for Senate elections before picking up a name for the portfolio.
Federal Minister for Planning, Reforms and Development Ahsan Iqbal said Sunday that Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz was already enjoying the status of a federal minister in the Parliament.
However, many in the political circle were skeptical of the PML-N leadership’s decision of not having a full foreign minister and maintaining the status quo.
Many in the ruling party were also expecting that the party leadership will award tickets to Aziz and Special Assistant to PM on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi before picking one of them for the portfolio but their presumption contradict the ground realities.